Went to the range with a buddy who hadn't gone shooting in many years. He wanted to sight in a Star 9mm he had for home defense and get a feel for the gun (again, it had been sitting in a case for many years).

The gun looked like it had been kept in a toolbox in the back of a truck for the entire time. Finish was...optional, and there was a copious amount of surface rust here and there. The gun ran like garbage - was reluctant to seat a magazine, could see sparks flying every time you pulled the trigger, and generally was didn't want to eject the shells.

Thing is, I absolutely *loved* how the gun felt in my hand. The size was dead on what I'm looking for for a concealed carry weapon (I realize it's all steel, that's kind of part of its appeal) and I just really felt some chemistry with the gun. It kinda reminded me of a cross between a 1911 and a Walther.

Anyway, is the ****-poor performance a result of no oil/cleaning and sitting for 5+ years or is it a cheaply made pistol that's a headache waiting to happen?

Also, curious what the going rate was. All I can seem to find were .45 caliber versions online and the gunshop isn't really a short hop away to check out. I'm aware that they are no longer being made and may be challenging to locate. This one was pretty darn old.

The good news is that almost all of them are fairly cheap to buy today, due to high production numbers and low prices when new, and some models are excellent values. The bad news is that some models have a reputation for inferior durability, particularly those with aluminum frames, and a number of their later models were not well liked due to a combination of outdated design features and dubious quality control.

Quote:

It kinda reminded me of a cross between a 1911 and a Walther.

I'm a little confused about which pistol you're discussing here.

For years, Star produced a line of pistols that were essentially slightly scaled-down M1911 copies, albeit with a few significant changes- they lack grip safeties and have external extractors and pivoting triggers, plus mag disconnects on some models. Common models include the Model B, Model B Super, and Model BKM. Was it one of those?

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"As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. "

Most Stars were actually very well made guns.
Sarco has modem BMs in stock. These are the steel framed small 9mms that look like a 1911.
The later Firestars were about the same size, with the same mechanism-but were much heavier.
Had Star just stuck with their production of 1911-style pistols they wouls still be in business today. The Colt .380 and later the SIG p238 are copies of the Star DK Starfire. The SIG P938 is a copy of the BM/BKM series.

fwiw, my first ccw was a firestar plus 9mm & served well for many yrs before being retired to occasional range duty. i love this pistol! since new, it has never been anything but flawless in function & at purchase time, in the early 90's, was different from everything else. back then, there wasn't alot of polymer jobs & the display case wasn't full of glocks. to be compact & lightweight, the 14+1 capacity sold me along with the price. i now carry 45acp, but its still one of my favorites for occasional use.

Apologies if I was unclear in my description - the style of the pistol reminded me of a 1911 but the small size reminded me more like a Walther. Lee's site helped me figure it out - it's a Star model BM. I'm assuming a commander sized 1911 must be similar, but I've never had the opportunity to hold one.

So the consensus is that Stars are nice pistols and the lack of lubricant and general neglect was the reason it was running so awfully?

So the consensus is that Stars are nice pistols and the lack of lubricant and general neglect was the reason it was running so awfully?

Check the chamber. If there is any rust/pitting, that could cause extraction issues.

__________________Sometimes you get what you pay for, sometimes you only pay more for what you get.
Three shots are not a "group"...they are a "few".
If the Bible is the literal, infallible, unerring word of God...where are all those witches I am supposed to kill? (Exodus 22:18)

LOTS of Stars on GB, Auction Arms and guns america in many conditions. Have a Star model BS which is the same as a "B" but with mag safety interlock. BKM would be the same but alloy frame.

Magazines are pretty much model specific so make sure you can get one for a reasonable price. IE B mag does not work in BS etc. Robertsons seems to have the best overall quality ones out there. You should be able to get a nice one with extra mag in the $350 area.

I got Star BM for my son to grow into when he's older. Of course I have had to "test it" for him and I have been rather pleased with its performance. While I have only fired FMJ ammo through it, it has been 100% reliable, pretty accurate and quite pleasant to shoot due to its steel frame.
To be honest, your buddy sounds like a slob. Treat a weapon like a piece of crap then don't **** and moan when you get crap performance out of it! Its not the fault of the weapon but of the slob that owns it and neglicts it. Do yourself a favor and pick better friends!

To be honest, your buddy sounds like a slob. Treat a weapon like a piece of crap then don't **** and moan when you get crap performance out of it! Its not the fault of the weapon but of the slob that owns it and neglects it. Do yourself a favor and pick better friends!

Haha! That was good...

While that may be true with most guns, some never had the chance to operate as they should from the factory. Not going to mention any brands.

My cousin got one handed down to him. With no magazine. You can't drop the hammer with the trigger unless you have a mag. So he's stuck.

When he get's it good to go I'll let you guys know! (rhyme not intended, I dislike rap music)

One of the advertisers in Shotgun News . . . Sarco, maybe? . . . has a half-dosen different Star models advertised, including the BM, BKM, and BKS. I think they're priced in the $350 range, which I thought a bit high, based on the description of the guns' conditions.
I've had two PDs, which was a "big brother" to the 9mm B-series guns, and liked them a lot.

I have the Star Model B Super in 9mm Luger. It's a nice gun. A lot of the "1911" pistols you see in movies are actually Star Model Bs or B Supers in 9mm. They were easier to get cycling with blanks than the .45s and they are hard to tell the difference from a distance.

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Jim's Rules of Carry: 1. Any gun is better than no gun. 2. A gun that is reliable is better than a gun that is not. 3. A hole in the right place is better than a hole in the wrong place. 4. A bigger hole is a better hole.

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